A move that could have taken shape a couple of years back is turning into reality as Duke’s long wait for a certain 6’1 guard finally came to fruition on Sunday. Texas Longhorns’ mass exodus turned into a glimmer of hope for Kara Lawson and the Blue Devils as they capitalized on it strengthening their backcourt with a player they had been targeting since high school.

On3 reporter and basketball insider Talia Goodman confirmed that Texas guard Aaliyah Crump has committed to Duke for the 2026 season after just one season in Texas. Crump entered the transfer portal just a few days ago, leading to a bunch of hiccups for Longhorns fans and ending an association that was going to make the Longhorns “a whole lot better,” in Schaefer’s words.

“BREAKING: Texas transfer Aaliyah Crump has committed to Duke, sources told @On3,” the post read. “The 6-1 freshman averaged 7.9 ppg this season and was a 5-star recruit out of high school.”

Top Stories

UFC

Miami Gives Dana White a Reality Check as UFC 327 Gate, Attendance Revealed

1 day ago

Golf

Kai Trump Forced to Clarify After Being Accused of Violating Augusta National Tradition

15 hrs ago

Golf

Phil Mickelson Wastes No Time in Sending Rory McIlroy a Message After His 2nd Masters Win

12 hrs ago

Golf

Masters Officials Confront Sergio Garcia for Vandalizing Augusta National Out of Frustration

19 hrs ago

NASCAR

“Sending Thoughts & Prayers”: NASCAR Announcer Forced to Leave Broadcast Booth Over Family Emergency

15 hrs ago

Golf

‘People Are So Mad’: Brooks Koepka’s Wife Jena Sims Details Harsh Backlash She Got Over Head-Turning Masters Outfit

1 day ago

A five-star recruit, Crump was one of the most sought-after players during her commitment after high school. Besides Duke and the Longhorns, Ohio State had also offered Crump a place in their program after high school. And why not? Her high school heroics spoke for themselves, as she averaged 24.5 points and 7.0 rebounds in her junior year. Ignoring all other options, Crump joined the Vic Schaefer-led Texas, citing the team’s coaching prominence.

“I chose Texas women’s basketball because from day one the coaches made the program feel like home to me,” Crump said while joining the Longhorns. “The University of Texas will allow me to play the highest level of basketball and also receive a top-tier education.”

But the stay was cut short, as she heads further northeast next season, suiting up in a different jersey and conference. To a certain extent, we didn’t get to see the best of her in the Longhorns team, as most of her season was plagued by a foot injury. The Longhorns’ freshman played just 24 games in the season, recording 7.9 points and 2.3 rebounds, while shooting north of 41% from the field.

Crump didn’t get much game time on the court as well, logging just over 17 minutes per game. With the likes of Madison Booker and Rori Harmon dominating the play on the court, Aaliyah Crump’s role was limited to just a supportive one. But even then, Crump’s departure was quite surprising, given the high ceiling the Longhorns concluded their season on with an SEC Championship and a Final Four appearance.

With Crump, several other Texas players, including Jordan Lee and Justice Carlton, are part of Texas’ mass exodus this offseason, posing a great challenge for the Longhorns in their rebuilding phase ahead of next season, especially with seniors like Rori Harmon already exhausting their college eligibility. But the departure of a top-tier freshman with such a high ceiling will prick Texas a little more.

On the other hand, Duke and head coach Kara Lawson have found a player to build their future on for next season after back-to-back Elite Eight appearances in the March Madness.

Former D1 Player Explains How Aaliyah Crump Will Benefit Duke

Like Vic Schaefer and Texas, Kara Lawson also had to make many changes to her team in the offseason. The team had five departing seniors after the 2025-26 season, including their star player, Ashlon Jackson. As a result, it was essential for Duke to land top talent, whether through the transfer portal or commitments, and the team has done so quite well.

The good news for the Blue Devils is that they haven’t lost many players to the transfer portal. In fact, Duke will miss just two players besides its seniors next season: Hailey Johnson and Anna Wikstrom. Thus, by retaining their core for the season, the subsequent addition of Aaliyah Crump has strengthened the team’s formation.

This is the exact sentiment that former Tennessee Tech player Tacarra Barnes echoed in her latest assessment. “Duke only had two players in the portal,” Barnes said. “The ones that didn’t really get minutes- Hailey Johnson and Anna Wikstrom. We talk about needs, fit, and with Toby Fourier still there, I think Aaliyah Crump can be a big contributor if she’s healthy.”

Crump’s skill set on the hardwood doesn’t need any introduction. Even in her injury-laden freshman year, Crump has shown she can pull off matches at her own will, whenever she’s near fit. For context, in the five matches she played before her injury, Crump scored 10+ points in four of them. It clearly indicates where her ability lies whenever she’s close to full fitness, whether in calling the shots through assists or in precise scoring.

Besides the existing players, Duke also has several top incoming freshman players in Bella Fleming, Autumn Fleary, and Sanai Green. All in all, Lawson’s team looks quite stacked with talent, even more so after Crump’s addition. What’s your say on Crump’s move to Duke? Do let us know in the comments.